Man beat with tire iron, shot, survives

ST. PETERSBURG (AP) -- A man who was struck in the head with a tire iron, stuffed in the trunk of his car, driven to Orlando and shot twice in the face was left for dead, but survived.

Efrain Romero, 38, was in critical condition at Orlando Regional Hospital in Orlando Thursday, more than a week after Orlando police found him staggering and incoherent near their police station, said Pinellas County sheriff's spokesman Cal Dennie.

Police arrested Derrick Vinson, 31, on Tuesday in Orlando, after Vinson's girlfriend told a friend what happened, and the friend told her mother, who contacted authorities, according to court documents.

Vinson was charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted murder. Both are being held in the Pinellas County Jail, Vinson on $375,000 bond and Vaughn on $20,000 bond.

A message left with Vaughn's attorney, Nicholas Michailos, was not immediately returned Thursday. No lawyer information was immediately listed for Vinson.

Police said Vinson thought Romero was having an affair with Vaughn, who lives next to Romero at a St. Petersburg mobile home park.

All three were there together the night of Oct. 22 in her mobile home, police said.

Vinson struck Romero with the tire iron repeatedly and stuffed him into the trunk of Romero's car, police said. Vinson told Vaughn he would be back in a couple of days. Dennie said they were not sure when Romero was shot.

Romero was found by Orlando police Oct. 23.

A sheriff's detective went to Vaughn's home and found a tire iron on the kitchen counter, police said. According to court documents, blood was splattered on the ceiling and wall, and a strong odor of bleach permeated the home, as if an attempt had been made to clean.

Dennie said when Vinson was interviewed by sheriff's detectives, he didn't admit to the crime but said he didn't care whether Romero lived or died.